I'm new to this forum and just now coming back (after a 30 year absence) to using a Super Graphic.

I'd be very grateful if someone could answer a couple of lens questions:
- can my Super Graphic fold up and close if fitted with a Schneider Kreuznach Symmar 210mm/370mm F5.6 convertible lens?
- which lens (the above Symmar or a Kodak Ektar 203mm F7.7) is considered better? Sharper?

I've been reading some of the correspondence on this board and am amazed at the depth of knowledge. A great find!

I have a Schneider Kreuznach Symmar 240mm/420mm F5.6 convertible lens
AND I can't close it with that lens!!
NOW then in a standerd lens a 210mm is about max!
If you need a long you will need to get a Telephoto lens!!
I have a Rodenstock-Rotelar 270mm &a Tele-Optar 250mm
that I use there are great to play with
I have use both a 203mm Ektar & a caltar 210mm but I don't have a 210mm
Symmar ! but a good 203mm Ektar is hard to beat!

will if you find a still GOOD 203mm Ektar at a good $$ I would give it a try!!
But I like most all of the Ektar that I have tryed so far!!
the Ektar was some of the top lens of the time!
the Caltar that I have was the bottem of the Calter line up!
now if it was the top of the Caltar line that mite make I don't know

Caltar or Ektar? Production tolerances are such that it will vary from lens to lens. Either should be a good bet. Price and wear on the shutter may be more important than the slight difference in performance.

Now, will the camera close with X lens fit? Shutter must fit the board, top of shutter must be less than .95 inch above the board when mounted and the outer dimension of the lens barrel no more than 2.8 inches provided the front edge is no more than 1.0955 inch above the board; the outer dimension of the lens barrel is less than 2.72 and the front edge less than 1.1565 inch from the lens board; or if the outer lens barrel dimension is less than 2.56 inch and the front edge is less than 1.649 from the lens board (.01 allowed for clearance) ._________________The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

Thanks very much. With all those measurements would you also have the specs for a Super Graphic lens board (height, width, depth)? Would you know what size of hole is required to fit a Kodak Ektar 203mm f/7.7 with a Flash Supermatic shutter? I've searched for this info until I'm almost blind!

Pacemaker lock bump- .220 inch from lip edge.
Super Graphic lock bump- .240 inch from lip edge._________________The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

Last edited by 45PSS on Sun Oct 10, 2010 8:16 pm; edited 2 times in total

Charles, are you sure that your flange-to-film distance for the Super is correct? I ask because it is about the same as that of the 3x4 Crown as reported in the 10th Edition, considerably shorter than the 4x5 Crown.

Dan,
No flange to film measurements only lens board front edge to the bed when the bed is in the closed position._________________The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

Thanks, Charles, I misread your post. Just now I'm a bit obsessed with moving to 6x12, am thinking hard about how to use all of my lenses that will cover the format. So minimum flange-to-film distances are in the front of my mind.

The convertible 210 Symmar is one of my favourite lenses, which I used a lot on my Crown Graphic and on my Super Graphic once I moved up.

I think my Crown Graphic did close with the 210 onboard, but don't remember with the Super as I mostly used my 150 Symmar on that camera at that time.
I have always heard tremendous things about the 203 Ektar though, so you have great options either way.
Here is an image I took with the 210/5.6 Convertible Symmar.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hosten/59853637/_________________David Hosten
Have camera will travel